We believe that all matters of faith and conduct must be evaluated on the basis of Holy Scripture, which is our infallible guide (2 Timothy 3:16–17). We believe that the “Church” is made up of all true followers of Jesus Christ, and that Son Rise Christian Church is a part of the whole Church.(Acts 2:46-47, Ephesians 1:15-22) We believe Jesus commissioned the Church to preach the gospel, baptize, and make disciples. (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15-16) We believe these are commandments from God and are therefore essential roles for the Church, and its members. We believe that a key responsibility of making disciples is teaching sound doctrine. (Titus 1:5-9) We therefore provide our Statement of Faith to declare what we believe the Word of God says on many key issues. This statement, combined with the Statement on Marriage and Human Sexuality, though not exhaustive, explains what Son Rise Christian Church believes on the issues included, because we believe that this is what the Word of God declares.

Authority of Scripture —- We believe the Bible is the written Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error. We believe God has preserved His Word as He has promised. The preserved Word can be found in the Masoretic and GreekReceived Texts, and English Bibles translated from these texts. The Bible is the revelation of God’s truth and is infallible and authoritative in all matters that it addresses. We believe for God’s Word to be fully understood it must be read by a person who has been spiritually reborn. We believe the terms “Holy Bible,” “Bible,” “Word of God,” “Scripture,” and ”Holy Scripture” are synonymous and therefore interchangeable. (John 17:17, 2 Tim 3:16, 1 Corinthians 2:13-16, Hebrews 4:12, 2 Peter 1:21)

Religious Beliefs

Based on Holy Scripture and the constant moral teaching of the universal Church, we believe:

Love is Central — We believe that Love is the central tenet of the Scriptures, the motivating force of God, and should be the primary focus of a child of God. (Matthew 22:36-40, John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 13)

Trinity — We believe our God is One, but manifested in three Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (John 14:9-18, 1 John 5:6,7)

Created in God’s Image — We believe men and women are created beings, made in the image of God. They are therefore created without sin. They inhabit a fleshly body that is prone to all forms of lust, and all have succumbed to that lust and become sinners by their own choices. (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 9:6, Acts 17:28-29, Romans 3, Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 11:7, James 3:8-9)

Knowledge of the existence of God — All mankind knows that there is a God. (Romans 1:18-25)

Knowledge of Right & Wrong — We believe all mankind everywhere has God’s law written on their hearts and therefore know right and wrong. (Romans 2:12-16)

Salvation Available to All — We believe God has sought to redeem all men by sending His Son to die for their sins. ( John 3:16,17, John 6:40, 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14)

Salvation by Faith — We believe salvation is the gift of God to man through an ongoing faith/trust relationship in Jesus Christ as Lord. (Romans 3:21-26, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:4-9)

New Birth Necessary — We believe that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and that New Birth is necessary and available to all men, and when experienced, can produce eternal life. (John 3:3, John 3:16,17, Romans 3:21-26, 1 Peter 1:17-25)
Believers Retain Free Will — We believe once a person has confessed Jesus as Lord, God will never cast him away, but that person may choose to walk away. (John 10:27-30, Romans 8:26-39, Galatians 5:1-6, 1 Corinthians 10:24-27, 2 Peter 2:18-22, Revelation 2:1-7)

Role of Works —We believe no person’s work adds anything to their salvation. All of the works of the child of God are done as a response to God’s graciousness and love. The works of the children of God are the evidence of their relationship to God. (Matthew 7:21, Romans 12:1,2, Ephesians 2:8-10, Matthew 5:16, Titus 3:3-8, James 1:22-25)

Condemnation — We believe the one who physically dies in his sins without accepting Christ is eternally lost and, therefore, has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting. They have condemned themselves to the Lake of fire. (Romans 3:10 6:23 Hebrews 9:27 Revelation 20:15)

Baptism — We believe baptism in water by immersion, is a direct commandment of our Lord. Baptism is an act through which we identify with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, and is therefore only for those who have made Jesus Lord of their lives. (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15,16, Romans 6:1-4)

Baptism of the Holy Spirit — We believe the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a gift intended for believers, and is available to all who will seek it. Any person baptized in the Holy Spirit can be used of God to manifest His gifts as the Lord sees fit. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 12:27-31 Luke 3:16, Acts 8:14-17, Acts 19:1-6)

Spiritual Gifts — We believe the gifts of the Holy Spirit were never withdrawn and are still at work in the Church today, and should be pursued. (1 Corinthians 14:1, Mark 16:14-18, John 14:12-14)

Holiness — We believe in sanctification, which is pursuing a life of holiness. This life is the duty and reasonable service of the believer. This life is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit living in a person, and that person pursuing a growing relationship with the Lord. (John 17:14-19, Romans 12:1,2, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 2 Timothy 2:20-21, 1 Peter 1:15-16, 1 John 3:7-9)

Healing — We believe healing is the privilege of every member of the Church today, provided through Jesus’ death on the Cross. Healing needs to occur in body, soul, and spirit. Healing is a gift of God and is provided according to His perfect will, His perfect way. Sickness may be a result of sin or spiritual attack, but forgiveness, deliverance, and healing are available. (Mark 16:18, James 5:13-18, Isaiah 53:4,5)

Return of Christ — We believe Jesus will return and “. . . The dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air . . .” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). We believe His return is likely imminent. We believe in His physical return to the Earth to rule and reign. (Revelation 11:15-17, Revelation 20:4-6)

Jewish Root — We believe that the Jews are the remaining element of God’s original covenant people, and that the “gentiles” were included in God’s plan of redemption from the beginning. We use the term “Jew” to include all of the house of Israel. The term “gentile” includes all mankind who are not in the linage of Jacob. All mankind has always been encouraged to follow the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. By our confessing the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ, as our Lord, we are “grafted in to the Jewish root” and become partakers of God’s covenant, that began with Abraham. (Romans 11, Revelation 7:1-8)